FREE
by Dance-Axel-Dance
Summary: Cecil while in STREX CORP custody. Will someone come save him from his cell? Or is he doomed in these black walls forever? My take on episode 47. Damn that was a fucked up episode.
1. Chapter 1

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	2. Chapter 2

Ch. 2

The flight was long. Lights, clouds, other miscellaneous objects pass around them for what seems to be hours. Megan and Dana started up a conversation as they flew, or as well as one can hear another while flying at insanely high speeds on the back of a Dragon.

The sun set and rose again and that was when Hiram stopped finally and began to hover in the air. Cecil was jolted from Hiram's arms and was placed in the helicopter that was now hovering bedside them. Cecil scowled as he was placed into Steve Carlsberg's arms, but thankful, it wasn't for long. Almost as quick as he was handed over, Steve was setting him down in one of the vacant seats inside the luxurious helicopter.

He looked over at Hiram and Dana confused and mouthed, 'What are you guys doing?'

Dana smiled warmly and yelled back, "We still have a lot to do! Steve and Tamika are going to take you to our base and get you to Teddy. There are a lot of towns that STREX CORP attacked. Tamika will fill you in. Gotta go! Bye, Cecil!"

Cecil waved after her, Hiram, and Meganas they flew away, much faster than before. Steve sat beside him, ignoring the way Cecil scowled as he did so.

"Cecil, I know you don't like me, for obvious reasons, but... just listen okay? Not that you can really object," Steve laughed at his lame joked but stopped quickly upon seeing Cecil's glare. "Look. I know I haven't really been there for Janice all that much lately..."

Cecil glared harder.

"... or not at all, really. But after everything that's going on right now, the revolution, STREX CORP, you getting kidnapped, the picnic camps, I just wanted you to know that I plan on being much more present in Janice's life. Dealing with all of this had made me realise what a terrible father I've been. I remember in high school that all I had wanted was for my dad to take me out to the wastelands and play ball, or to show up to one of my games. Well that and you of course."

Cecil's glare snapped back into place and Steve cleared his throat.

"A-anyway, yeah. So I was wondering, if after all of this is over, and I go back to how I was, could you- maybe snap some sense into me? And get me back on track? I really do care about Janice."

Cecil felt the irritation still there from the close proximity, but also sympathy for the love for his niece. So partly for the benefit for her and also for the benefit of Steve not talking to him anymore, Cecil sighed heavily and nodded. It was a relief after all to know that Janice was still okay at least.

Steve awkwardly smiled at Cecil and looked in the opposite direction.

About an hour later and Cecil felt his self nodding off. He trapped at Steve's shoulder to draw his attention and mouthed, 'Is it okay if I sleep?' Steve nodded and left back to sit behind his gun as Cecil laid himself down onto the cracked leather seats.

He was on the edge of consciousness when he heard Steve's voice again. Scowling, Cecil looked up at him with hate in his eyes.

"Sorry, I just figured you'd want to know."

Cecil was confused. 'Know what?' He mouthed.

"Carlos. He's okay."

Cecil felt his eyes widen and covered the gasp in his mouth.

"He's actually the leader of this whole operation. We would have came to get you sooner but Carlos wanted to make sure there was less chance of us getting hurt when we rescued you. He said you'd never forgive yourself if we got hurt saving you."

Cecil felt tears rise to his eyes at the thought of his sweet Carlos doing that for him. Sure the cell was horrible but he wouldn't ever want anyone to get hurt at his expense. 'How is he?'

"Tired. The grey at his temples are defiantly more predominate nowadays. He misses you. Sometimes we catch him starting at something crying. Once I found him starting at his old lab coat for nearly two hours. We just left him for a while. Anyways. Yeah. You two are good for each other. But you need each other. I've noticed he leads better when he thinks of you."

'Thank you.'

Cecil doesn't know if Steve saw him or not because at that moment the helicopter swung to a sharp right and Tamika was heard yelling back at them to hold on. Firing shots were heard and Steve immediately told hold of his gun and began firing back. Cecil grabbed the seat in a tight grip and swayed harshly with the plane.

A loud crash happened and they began spiralling downward. Tamika and Steve jumped from their seats and grabbed Cecil up to his feet. Cecil held onto the safety bar as tightly as possible as Tamika and Steve grabbed the three parachutes.

Tamika handed one to Cecil and yelled, "Strap this on. Once you hit the ground DO NOT MOVE. It'll cloak you in invisibility as long as you keep your body still. Stay still until you hear Steve. I'm going to distract them while you two get away."

'But Tamika-'

"Cecil, go with Steve. He'll keep you safe. Our mission is to get you back to Carlos. I promised him I'd keep you safe and that's exactly what I'm doing. I'll be fine. Now go!"

Tamika pushed Cecil out of the helicopter suddenly and then jumped out of the other side. Cecil clamped his eyes shut and held tightly to the straps of his back pack. He wouldn't have thought to pull the string if Steve hadn't yelled at him to do so as he fell closer and closer to the earth.

Cecil gasped for the string and after a few seconds of struggle he gripped it and pulled hard releasing the actual parachute. A light shimmer surrounded him and Cecil remembered Tamika's order and stayed as still as he could while falling. He hit the ground hard and bit his lip to not react to the pain it caused his ankle to land so suddenly. Letting the parachute drag him to the ground, Cecil lay still hearing shouts and noises not far from him. The ground was hard dry and hot in the sun. They're still in the desert then, he concluded.

An unmistakable crash of a helicopter sounded and Cecil winced. Footsteps ran past him after what he assumed to be the works of Tamika. The helicopter exploded suddenly and Cecil was thrown backwards, the cloaking device shutting off immediately.

Cecil thudded into Steve and the older man pulled Cecil around onto his back and ran. Luckily the sand was in large hills so they were able to lay on the side of one before the soldiers had a chance to spot them. After they recovered from the explosion, they took off after Tamika, which was now but a black speck amongst the sand.

Soon the soldiers were out of view and Steve was pulling Cecil back up to stand. Cecil winced and leaned heavily on Steve.

"It hurts to stand?" Steve asked.

Cecil nodded and mouthed, 'my ankle.'

Steve sat Cecil back down and crouched to look at it. After turning it a few times and watching Cecil's reactions and picked Cecil up onto his back. Cecil looked at him confused.

"It's not broken, I don't think. I'm not a doctor but I'm pretty sure you sprained it in the landing. Your bones are already weak after being captive for so long. Not to mention the shackle scraping your skin raw. According to my coordinates locater, the base isn't too far. Just a few miles. If we keep walking north-west, We should be there in about 3 hours."

'Coordinates locater?'

"Uhh yeah. Carlos invented it. Or well, he invented it in night vale. To night vale. Whatever. It's pretty cool."

Cecil missed Carlos again. He would have given a long scientific explanation that Cecil only would understand about half of but it would have been perfect. 'I miss science,' He mouthed against Steve's shoulder.

"I know. Get some sleep if you can. I know you're pretty tired. Tamika should meet us when we get there. I'll wake you."

Cecil nodded. 'Don't tell anyone, but Thank you, Steve,' He mouthed again letting darkness overtake him finally and going slack against Steve's back.

Cecil didn't see but Steve smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

Ch. 3

It was a nightmare. Carlos was strapped to a table naked, calling for help. From anyone. Cecil approached the table with a scalpel in his hand. He felt a grin spread across his face and kissed Carlos's forehead gently.

"Hush, Carlos, love. Hush. It's alright. I'm here now."

Carlos whimpered and looked up at Cecil with so much hope it made Cecil hesitate just a few seconds before digging the scalpel deep into Carlos's stomach. He drank in the screams that sounded throughout the room, dragging the blade further and further down until it hit his navel.

This want him! Cecil tried to fight it as he watched his hand dig his fingers into the long cut, taking pleasure in Carlos's pain. He had no control over his body, but Cecil couldn't deny the rush he got from hurting him. It was terrible. He heard him self telling Carlos such sweet things in a cold dark voice so much different than what he remembered his being.

The torture continued until Cecil was almost bathed in blood. Carlos lay motionless on the table now. His mouth was open in his last call for Cecil, eyes wide open, filed with fear. His heart was pumping out its final beats in Cecil's bloodied hand. The other grasping tightly to Carlos's hand.

This was what he was meant to become? Cecil felt his body begin to shake with a wave of uncontrollable sobs. He fell to his knees clutching Carlos's heart against his own and still holding onto the limp hand.

He always knew Night Vale would bring an end to Carlos eventually. To both of them.

Cecil screamed as loud as he could and threw the heart against the wall, watching blood shoot out of it as it came in contact.

Cecil was jolted awake with a scream. His jump startled Steve enough that he lost footing and they both fell into the hot sand.

"What the Hell, Cecil!?" Steve yelled but cut himself short upon seeing the radio host hunched over himself, his shoulders shaking.

He approached Cecil carefully. "Uhm Cecil? Are you okay? Does this have something to do with you screaming loudly in my ear?"

Cecil shook his head violently and rubbed at his eyes. 'Fine. Nightmare,' He mouthed.

Steve sighed and sat next to Cecil. "Cecil, I've known you long enough to know when something happened. What was your nightmare about? Come on, you can tell me."

Cecil shook his head, not looking from his feet.

"Alright. Fine. But when we get there, I'm forcing you to at least talk to Carlos about it. Or, well, write. Mouth. I don't know. Come on, we're close. Just another three miles."

Cecil nodded and stood up, keeping his weight off of his hurt ankle. Steve pulled Cecil back onto his back and walked the remaining distance. Cecil looked around curiously and heard Steve mumble some language that sounded vaguely like Spanish, but he couldn't be sure. The only Spanish Cecil had ever heard was what he had heard Carlos say.

Sand started to move around them and a black door appeared in the sand. It was about five feet in width and twelve feet in length. Steve set Cecil down and knocked a rhythmic pattern against it. The door slowly was pulled back and revealed Rico from big Rico's. The beefy Italian-like man grinned wildly upon seeing Cecil alive and well. Waving the two inside, Rico stood aside and closed the door after them.

They were in a long narrow stairwell, sand all along becoming less and less the further down. Steve helped Cecil climb down the first few but gave up his patience and just picked him up again.

When they finally made it to the bottom, Rico waved them luck and returned to his station by the sand door. Steve said a Sumerian phrase meaning "live long, and prosper" (Cecil vaguely recognised it as a line from one of the many shows Carlos showed him) and watched in awe as a shimmering light shown through before fading back and dissolving what was now identified as an invisibility field of some sort.

Machines and weapons and tactic plans filled the large space that Cecil was now standing in. His friends and neighbours ran to and fro with determined expressions.

Cecil looked to Steve in question.

"Welcome to The Rebellion."


End file.
